Respite and Inspiration

It's amazing what a little time away will do. Although it's depressing to be back in typically cold, monochromatic Chicago, I've had a lot of energy for writing this week. That's largely the result of last week's leisure, but I think some of it also comes from the experience of being someplace foreign, doing something entirely new. Jen and I were fortunate enough to connect with someone who knew Jamaica well and showed us the non-resort side of Negril. We were hardly trailblazing, but even so it was stimulating. Since then the tensions I observed and felt have been playing out in my notebook. What remains to be seen is how much that seems flush now pales over the days that follow. Hopefully not as much as my skin.